Varicose Veins

What are Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are twisted, enlarged veins close to the surface of the skin. They usually develop in the legs and above the ankles.

 

Symptoms

  • Pain, itching and burning

  • Leg aching or heaviness

  • Muscle fatigue

  • Restlessness leg syndrome

  • Leg cramping while asleep.

If untreated, varicose veins can become worse over time. In some cases, untreated venous disease can lead to serious complications such as blood clots, spontaneous bleeding from the dilated vein, and/or skin ulcerations around the ankle.

 

Diagnosis

To determine if the valves in the vein are damaged and not working properly, a painless non-invasive ultrasound test is performed. With the ultrasound device, the physician can watch the direction of the blood flow and see if the valves are allowing ‘reflux’ or backflow, indicating a damaged valve. Once the cause of the varicose vein is determined, then a proper course of treatment can be prescribed.

 

Treatment Options

Laser – VenaCure EVLT™

In laser vein treatment, a thin fiber is inserted into the damaged vein. A laser light is emitted through the fiber, causing the vein to close and seal shut. The blood is automatically routed to other veins. After treatment, the appearance of the abnormal vein is instantly improved with minimal to no scarring. Published clinical studies show that the VenaCure EVLT™ procedure has more than a 95% initial success rate with excellent long-term results. Veins that have been treated are very unlikely to become varicose again.

For more information about the laser procedure, discover VENACure EVLT at www.angiodynamics.com.

 

VNUS Closure® Procedure

VNUS Closure® is a clinically proven, minimally invasive procedure that treats varicose veins and their underlying cause, venous reflux, with little or no pain. Closure® patients can walk away from the vein procedure and return to everyday activities, typically within a day. The VNUS Closure® procedure is performed on an outpatient basis.

Using ultrasound, your physician will position the Closure® catheter into the diseased vein, through a small opening in the skin. The tiny catheter delivers radiofrequency (RF) energy to the vein wall. As the RF energy is delivered and the catheter is withdrawn, the vein wall is heated, causing the collagen in the wall to shrink and the vein to close. Once the diseased vein is closed, blood is re-routed to other healthy veins. Following the procedure, a simple bandage is placed over the insertion site, and additional compression may be provided to aid healing. Your doctor may encourage you to walk and to refrain from extended standing and strenuous activities for a period of time.

 

Phlebectomy

Phlebectomy is the surgical removal of any surface varicose veins that are left over after the VNUS Closure. Small incisions are made to pull the veins out with minimal to almost no scarring. This is done on an outpatient basis. Patients can resume ordinary activities within a day. With all procedures, support hose must be worn.

 

Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is performed in the doctor’s office by one of our surgeons. A solution is injected through a very fine needle directly into the vein. At this point, you may experience mild discomfort and cramping for one to two minutes, especially when larger veins are injected. The procedure itself takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes. The number of veins injected in one session varies and depends on the size and location of the veins, as well as the general medical condition of the patient.

Prior to the procedure, you will have an initial consultation with a vascular medicine specialist who will decide if you’re a good candidate for sclerotherapy. You are not eligible if you are pregnant or bedridden. You can have sclerotherapy if you take birth control pills. If you have had a blood clot in the past, your eligibility will be decided on an individual basis, and will depend on the overall health of the area needing treatment as well as the reason for the clot. Veins that are potentially usable for future surgical bypass procedures (e.g., use of the saphenous vein, a large vein in the leg used for coronary artery bypass graft surgery) will generally not be considered for sclerotherapy unless they are already deemed unusable.

Sclerotherapy is one of the primary treatments of spider veins. Spider veins are usually blue or red in color. The blue veins are treated with a sclerosing agent which is injected into the small vessels of the skin. This irritates the cell wall causing it to collapse and disappear.